The Fourth of July marks the midway point of summer. If you’ve been fishing freshwater lakes, you’ve probably stashed a few walleyes, crappies, and bluegills in the freezer. Grab a package before you head to the lake and enjoy the holiday weekend with a small nosh. It will light up your 4th of July breakfast and start the day with a bang!
Ingredients
½ roasted red pepper-seeds removed
½ roasted jalapeño seeds removed
4 oz poached walleye fillet for 4 servings (or other delicate white fish)
½ cooked wild rice
1 TBS Penzey’s Seafood Boil spice blend
½ English cucumber
2 stalk of celery
¼ onion
1 lb cherry tomatoes
2 clove of garlic
Salt
Black pepper
Dash of sugar
Sambal or Sriracha
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS lime juice
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS grated horseradish
1 ½ cups V8, or Bloody Mary mix
Vodka (optional)
Instructions
1. Roast ½ red pepper and ½ jalapeño over open flame. Remove from heat. Cover and let sweat until skin peels off easily.
2. Dice vegetables. Pulse each veggie separately until coarsely chopped. Transfer to large glass or ceramic bowl. Season with salt, pepper, dash of sugar, Worcestershire, horseradish, and Sriracha to taste. Add olive oil, and V8, or Bloody Mary mix. Transfer ½ back to the food processor and whiz until pureed. Transfer back into bowl and refrigerate.
3. While the fresh vegetable puree is chilling, poach the walleye filet. Add about ½ inch of water to a shallow pan, along with a squeeze of fresh lemon, ½ teaspoon of salt, and about ½ TBS of the seafood boil spices. Bring to a light simmer and then slip in the walleye. Cook until firm. Remove filet to a plate and chill.
Assemble and serve
1. Use a lime wedge to moisten the top of a glass, roll the moistened rim in celery salt.
2. Add desired amount of vodka (BAM!) and then carefully spoon in the veggie gazpacho into the glass until it is almost full.
3. Slide a cucumber slice and a small leafed celery stalk along the side.
4. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of cooked wild rice on top, and then flake the walleye filet and top the wild rice with the fish.
5. Sprinkle with a few black sesame seeds if you have them, and a squish of Sriracha for an extra bang!
6. Top with desired garnishes and serve with a small spoon. There will be plenty veggie gazpacho leftover for more.
